I found it interesting that male ants (and others in that group) are born haploid. I wondered how these cells go thru the processes of mitosis and meiosis. I didn't see a problem with mitosis but don't think meiosis can process haploid cells to produce haploid sperm cells.

The male ants obviously mate, so it works somehow.

In the female ant, I assume the specie's genes instruct standard meiosis to be used. Germ cells are modified two times before they become spermatids. The spermatids go through a maturation process before becoming sperm cells (gametes), at least in some organisms.http://www.biology-questions-and-answer ... nesis.html

I assume the male haploid germ cells and other intermediate cells are identified in some way, so they can't be utilized as sperm cells. What processes are utilized to convert the male haploid germ cells to sperm cells?

Other than that, I'm pretty sure gametogenesis in haploid insects only uses mitosis. There isn't much information about this around, so you should do your own investigation! Let us know the results if you do.

The process of spermatogrnesis in Hymenopteran males (Haploid or Diploid) is unusual. The meiosis never take place in their gonads. But the mitotic process by which primary spermatocyte divides is unequal cytoplasmic division. It gives rise to a Spermatide and one polar body.

Each spermatogonial cell divides mitoticaly and equally to form 2 primary spermatocyres and then these undergo unequal cytoplasmic division of Mitosis to form 2 spermatids and 2 Polar bodies. According to some investigators, polar bodies get disappeared.

The process of spermatogrnesis in Hymenopteran males (Haploid or Diploid) is unusual. The meiosis never take place in their gonads. But the mitotic process by which primary spermatocyte divides is unequal cytoplasmic division. It gives rise to a Spermatide and one polar body.

Each spermatogonial cell divides mitoticaly and equally to form 2 primary spermatocyres and then these undergo unequal cytoplasmic division of Mitosis to form 2 spermatids and 2 Polar bodies. According to some investigators, polar bodies get disappeared.

Though inbreeding may be a cause of haploid male ants in some genera (citation? I haven't heard this before), many haploid male ants are the result of alternating generations. Haploid males mate with the diploid female queens, which then birth many sterile females and the occasional diploid female capable of parthenogenesis. Only unmated parthenogenetic females are capable of birthing males.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplodiplo ... ion_system : "An offspring formed from the union of a sperm and an egg develops as a female, and an unfertilized egg develops as a male. This means that the males have half the number of chromosomes that a female has, and are haploid."